U.S. patent application number 10/299505 was filed with the patent office on 2003-04-10 for absorbent article.
Invention is credited to Costa, Rogerio.
Application Number | 20030069556 10/299505 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 4072179 |
Filed Date | 2003-04-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030069556 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Costa, Rogerio |
April 10, 2003 |
Absorbent article
Abstract
The present invention relates to an individually folded and
wrapped product, comprising and absorbent article and an enveloping
sheet. The absorbent article is provided with side flaps and
adhesive regions that aid in fixing it to a wearer's panties,
keeping it in the correct position and avoiding the occurrence of
leakage. The enveloping sheet totally encloses the absorbent
article when the absorbent article is transversely folded over
itself with the flaps in an open position.
Inventors: |
Costa, Rogerio; (Lorena-SP,
BR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AUDLEY A. CIAMPORCERO JR.
JOHNSON & JOHNSON
ONE JOHNSON & JOHNSON PLAZA
NEW BRUNSWICK
NJ
08933-7003
US
|
Family ID: |
4072179 |
Appl. No.: |
10/299505 |
Filed: |
November 19, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10299505 |
Nov 19, 2002 |
|
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09532238 |
Mar 22, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
604/385.02 ;
604/385.13; 604/385.201 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F 13/15747 20130101;
A61F 13/5514 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
604/385.02 ;
604/385.13; 604/385.201 |
International
Class: |
A61F 013/15; A61F
013/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 7, 1999 |
BR |
PI-99010470 |
Claims
1. An individually folded and wrapped product comprising: (1) an
absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable front layer; a
liquid-impermeable back layer comprising adhesive regions thereon;
an absorbent body arranged between the front and the back layers;
and at least one flap extending laterally; and (2) an enveloping
sheet; wherein said enveloping sheet totally encloses the absorbent
article when the absorbent article is transversely folded over
itself with the flaps in an open position.
2. The individually folded and wrapped product according to claim 1
comprising additional folds of the absorbent article and the
enveloping sheet.
3. The individually folded and wrapped product according to claim
1, wherein said absorbent article comprises at least one tab fixed
to an end portion thereof.
4. The individually folded and wrapped product according to claim
1, comprising a first transverse fold line along which a lower
portion of the absorbent article is folded, a second transverse
fold line along which a middle portion of the absorbent article and
the enveloping sheet are jointly folded, longitudinal fold lines
along which the flaps and the enveloping sheet are jointly folded,
and a third transverse fold line along which a top portion of the
enveloping sheet is folded.
5. The individually folded and wrapped product according to claim
1, wherein the enveloping sheet is impermeable.
6. The individually folded and wrapped product according to claim
5, wherein the enveloping sheet comprises a projection extending
from a top portion thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an absorbent article such
as a sanitary napkin, an absorbent article for urinary incontinence
and the like, said absorbent article being preferably disposable
and provided with side tabs with adhesive regions that aid in
fixing said absorbent article to the wearer's panties, maintaining
it in the correct position and avoiding the occurrence of
leakage.
[0002] Particularly, the present invention relates to an absorbent
article associated with an enveloping sheet suitable for
accommodating and enclosing said absorbent before and after its
use.
[0003] As known from the prior art, absorbent articles are
generally disposable and used for collecting and holding vaginal
exudates, especially menstrual blood, intermenstrual secretions and
also urine in the cases of incontinence.
[0004] Typically, such absorbent articles comprise a body of
absorbent material, generally planar and elongate in shape,
surrounded by a permeable front layer, suitable for entering in
contact with the wearer's body, and an impermeable back layer in
contact with her panties.
[0005] The permeable front layer is adapted for entering into
contact with the wearer's pelvic region and, in general, it is made
of a soft and non-irritating material. According to the present
state of the art, this layer may be made of a perforated plastic
film, a porous or reticulate foam, a sheet of woven or non-woven
material with natural fibers (wood or cotton fibers), artificial
fibers (polyester or polypropylene fibers), or else a combination
of synthetic or natural fibers.
[0006] Said front layer may be of a hydrophobic material, in order
to have a tendency to remain dry.
[0007] On the other hand, said impermeable back layer has the
function of preventing the absorbed and held fluid from passing to
the clothes or skin of the wearer, being optionally manufactured
from a sheet of polyethylene. Said back layer may be permeable to
vapors and, in this case, it is either provided with small pores or
made of a non-woven liquid-impermeable material.
[0008] The absorbent articles of the prior art usually have one or
more adhesive regions on the surface of the respective impermeable
back layers, especially in a central portion in the longitudinal
and/or transverse direction thereof, in order to fix the absorbent
articles in the inner part of the crotch region of the panties.
Said adhesive region may be shaped as a single strip, multiple
strips, in a spiral, with stitches or any adequate configuration,
and there is a tendency to apply the adhesive to said back layer
along one or more longitudinal strips for the sake of processing
ease.
[0009] Said absorbent body, in turn, may be made from any material
capable of absorbing and holding bodily exudates, such as for
example wood pulp, bamboo fibers, sugar-cane bagasse, corncob or
corn stem, turf moss, absorbent foams or sponges, synthetic or
polymeric fibers, superabsorbent materials (which form hydrogels
when they enter in contact with liquids), combinations of the above
materials and others.
[0010] At present, many of the feminine intimate absorbent articles
have flexible flaps extending to the sides, for instance, as an
extension of one or both of said front and back layers, or still
separate from these layers, but associated with the absorbent
article. Said flaps serve to fix said absorbent article to the
panties, and for this purpose they bend over the edges of the
crotch portion of the panties, over the outer layer thereof.
Preferably, one of more regions of such flaps have areas coated
with adhesives permitting one to secure them to the panties, thus
minimizing the displacement of the absorbent article when in
use.
[0011] Said adhesive regions are preferably located on the back
surface of the flaps corresponding, for instance, to an extension
of the impermeable back layer of the absorbent article. As known
from the prior art, some feminine absorbent articles, such as some
designed for night-time use, are longer and have more than one flap
on each side of the product, that is to say, each side of the
absorbent article has two different flaps, the absorbent article
having therefore four flaps. This type of product is also included
in the present invention.
[0012] Adhesive-coated areas, either on the impermeable back layer
of the absorbent article or on the respective flaps, should be
protected against any kind of contact before the absorbent article
is used, in order to avoid impairing the adhesion power of said
regions or causing them to stick in an undesirable manner to the
absorbent article or clothes of the wearer, in which case the
handling of the absorbent article becomes difficult and eventually
inadequate.
[0013] For this purpose, protection sheets are traditionally used,
which are also known as "release papers," comprised of a sheet of
paper covered with a layer of silicone or antiadherent resin facing
the adhesive surface. Said protection sheets are used on the
absorbent article prior to use.
[0014] Aiming at the comfort of the wearer, absorbent articles have
been individually folded and wrapped, so that they can be carried
separately and discreetly. However, known individually folded and
wrapped products are not very practical, since they require several
steps to release the absorbent article from its envelope and fix
the absorbent article to the wearer's panties. Usually said steps
involve handling said front and back layers of the absorbent
article, thus impairing the hygiene of the absorbent article, which
will be in close contact with the pelvic region of the wearer.
[0015] Another problem encountered with conventional individually
folded and wrapped products is that, after the absorbent article
has been released from said envelope, the flaps still remain fixed
to each other or to the absorbent body itself. It is then necessary
to release these flaps so as to make them available for use.
[0016] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide
an individually folded and wrapped product comprising an enveloping
sheet suitable for accommodating and enveloping an absorbent
article, the enveloping sheet being shaped and folded so as to
allow also the wearer to release the absorbent article from the
sheet in a single step and, consequently, have minimum contact with
the front layer of the absorbent article. This objective is
achieved by means of an individually folded and wrapped product
comprising 1) and absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable
front layer, a liquid-impermeable back layer comprising adhesive
regions, an absorbent body arranged between the front and back
layers, and flaps extending laterally from the napkin, and 2) an
enveloping sheet, characterized in that said enveloping sheet
totally encloses the absorbent article when the absorbent article
is transversely folded over itself with the flaps in an open
position.
[0017] In the prior art there are individually folded and wrapped
products similar to that of the invention. However, in the prior
art products, the flaps are folded over the absorbent body into a
closed position, and only then is the absorbent article enclosed by
the enveloping sheet. Such embodiments require great design
complexity in locating protection sheets over the adhesive regions,
and in folding the absorbent article. According to the present
invention, the enclosure of the absorbent article occurs with the
side flaps open (regardless of number of flaps). Assembly of the
individually folded and wrapped product is much easier. In
addition, opening of the envelope and retrieval of the absorbent
article is also easier. The enveloping sheet of this invention
tends to be larger than those of the prior art, and for this reason
it is more effectively used for disposing used articles.
[0018] As used herein, the adhesive regions include those on the
liquid-impermeable back layer, as well as the back of the side
flaps, regardless of whether the flaps are formed from the
extensions of the front layer and back layer, or both.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The present invention will now be described in greater
detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a front view of an absorbent article fixed to an
enveloping sheet, according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the absorbent article and
enveloping sheet as illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a front view of the absorbent article illustrated
in FIG. 1, partly folded along a first transverse fold line;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the absorbent article and
enveloping sheet of FIG. 1 being further folded along a second
transverse fold line;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the absorbent article and
enveloping sheet of FIG. 4 being further folded along longitudinal
fold lines;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a front view of the absorbent article and
enveloping sheet of FIG. 5 fully folded along the longitudinal fold
lines;
[0026] FIG. 7 is a front view of an individually folded and wrapped
product of the invention;
[0027] FIG. 8 is a front view of an enveloping sheet with
protection sheets;
[0028] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the enveloping sheet
illustrated in FIG. 8; and
[0029] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the absorbent article
detached from the enveloping sheet of FIGS. 8 and 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0030] As illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 and 10, the individually folded
and wrapped product 1 comprises an absorbent article 2 comprising a
substantially planar absorbent body 2a, enveloped by a permeable
front layer 4, suitable for entering in close contact with the
pelvic region of the wearer and by an impermeable back layer 5
facing the respective panties (not shown).
[0031] Said absorbent article 2 further comprises flexible flaps
10, which extend laterally as an extension of the front layer 4,
back layer 5, or both, or else a separate component attached to the
absorbent article 2. In the example described, the absorbent
article 2 has only two flaps 10, but it could have 4 or more of
them. As illustrated in FIG. 10, each of the back faces of these
flaps 10 has a first adhesive region 11 allowing one to fix it to
the crotch portion of the panties. A second adhesive region 12 is
provided in a longitudinally central portion of the back layer 5 of
the absorbent article 2.
[0032] The material used as adhesive regions 11 and 12 is known to
those skilled in the art, being usually a pressure sensitive
adhesive. As already described, this material is applied in the
form of a single strip, multiple strips, points or any other
adequate configuration.
[0033] According to the present invention, an enveloping sheet 16
is provided, which should be conformed to be larger than the
dimensions of the absorbent article 2, that is to say, it should be
capable of accommodating and enclosing the absorbent article 2
before or after use, so as to obtain a package which prevents the
leakage of any fluid retained in the absorbent article 2. In other
words, the enveloping sheet 16 may be as long as or longer than the
absorbent article 2.
[0034] As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the enveloping sheet 16
has a shape that follows the contour of the absorbent article 2, an
end portion of the absorbent article 2 defined by panel P1
projecting beyond the edge 27 of the sheet 16 when said absorbent
article 2 is unfolded. The enveloping sheet 16, may be manufactured
from one or more layers, being preferably manufactured from an
impermeable and flexible material, so that it can be folded around
the absorbent article 2, and it may be a plastic film, paper.
non-woven fabric, any of these materials being coated with at least
some kind of resin, such as, for instance, an antiadherent,
laminate, or a combination of these materials. Preferably, the
sheet 16 is made from a thin impermeable plastic film such as
polyethylene. As can be seen from FIGS. 1-9, the edge 27 may be
reinforced by a process of gripping the material, and said edge 27
may still be glued or soldered by heating when a material suitable
for such process is used.
[0035] As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the enveloping sheet 16 is
provided with protection sheets 15 and 17, longitudinally
positioned. Protection sheets 17 are suitable for temporarily
protecting the adhesive regions 11, and a protection sheet 15 is
positioned in the central region of the enveloping sheet 16 for
temporarily protecting the second adhesive regions 12.
[0036] As known in the art, protection sheets 15 and 17 should
provide a temporary adhesion to the adhesive regions 11 and 12, so
that the latter will not lose adhesion to the panties.
[0037] According to the invention, the protection sheets 15 and 17
have two opposed faces, one that protects or adheres releasably or
temporarily to the adhesive regions 12 and 11, respectively, and
the other which adheres definitively or nonreleasably to the
enveloping sheet 16.
[0038] When the absorbent article 2 is fixed to the enveloping
sheet 16, the back layer 5 remains in contact with said sheet 16
(see FIG. 1).
[0039] In order for the enveloping sheet 16 to enclose the
absorbent article 2 totally, fold lines are provided on the
absorbent article 2, the flaps 10 and the enveloping sheet 16.
These fold lines may be understood as lines along which a fold is
formed, since the adjacent material is flexible and makes it
possible to form a fold without there being a physically defined
line.
[0040] As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the individually folded and wrapped
product comprises a first transverse fold line A, along which the
lower portion of the absorbent article 2 is folded. Along a second
transverse fold line B, a middle portion of the absorbent article 2
and the enveloping sheet 16 are folded together. Longitudinal fold
lines C and C1 are provided on the flaps 10 of the absorbent
article 2 and the enveloping sheet 16 so that the absorbent article
2 and the enveloping sheet 16 may be folded together along the
longitudinal fold lines. Finally, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a
third transverse fold line D is provided at the top end of the
enveloping sheet 16.
[0041] As used herein, the terms "transverse" and "longitudinal"
refer to directions parallel to the major and minor axes of the
absorbent article. Transverse refers to a direction parallel to the
minor axis of the absorbent article. Longitudinal refers to a
direction parallel to the major axis of the absorbent article.
[0042] The individually folded and wrapped product is formed by
folding the absorbent article inside the enveloping sheet as
follows. Referring to FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, panels P1, P2, and P3 have
approximately and preferably the same longitudinal length. Panel P1
comprising only the absorbent article 2 is defined by the lower end
portion of the absorbent article 2 and by the first transverse fold
line A. Panel P2 comprising both the absorbent article 2 and the
enveloping sheet 16 is defined by the first and second transverse
fold lines A and B.
[0043] Panel P3 comprising the absorbent article 2 and the sheet 16
is defined by the upper end portions of the absorbent article 2 and
the sheet 16 and by second transverse fold line B.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 5, fourth panel P4 comprises two parts
defined by two longitudinal side portions of the enveloping sheet
16 and longitudinal fold lines C and C1. Panel P4 includes the
flaps 10 and the enveloping sheet 10.
[0045] A fifth panel P5 comprises only the enveloping sheet 16 and
is defined by the top end portion of the sheet 16 and by the third
transverse fold line D.
[0046] The steps of folding the absorbent article 2 and the
enveloping sheet 16 into the individually folded and wrapped
product are shown in FIGS. 3-7. First, in FIGS. 3 and 4, panel P1
is folded on the first transverse fold line A in order to cover
panel P2 partly (see FIG. 3). Next, panel P3 is folded along
transverse fold line B, covering panel P1 already folded in the
preceding step and causing the absorbent article 2 to become
totally covered by the sheet 16 with flaps 10 in an open or
unfolded position.
[0047] As illustrated in FIG. 5, panels P4 may optionally be folded
along longitudinal fold lines C and C1 (see also FIG. 6). Finally,
panel P5 may optionally by folded along the third transverse fold
line D, causing the sheet 16 to enclose the absorbent article 2
further (see also FIG. 7).
[0048] Optionally, the enveloping sheet 16 may be provided with a
projection 20 at the top end thereof, and this projection 20 may
also comprise an adhesive surface suitable for adhering panel P5
during the final step of folding the absorbent article 2 in
conjunction with the sheet 16.
[0049] It is important to mention that the invention includes other
embodiments in which the absorbent article is longer than that
illustrated in the Figure and/or includes additional flaps. As
such, the absorbent article may be folded additional times over
itself, and once it is enclosed in the enveloping sheet, it can be
folded more times, longitudinally and/or transversely, in order to
acquire a smaller volume, if desired.
[0050] When there is the need for carrying individually folded and
wrapped products, the wearer can do so in her bag, for instance,
without impairing the hygiene of said absorbent article, since the
latter is protected by the enveloping sheet.
[0051] When the wearer needs to use the absorbent article, she can
unfold the enveloping sheet by following these steps. If the
enveloping sheet 16 is provided with a projection 20, the wearer
can first release the latter. Once the projection 20 has been
released, the wearer unfolds the panels P5 and then the panels P4.
By opening panels P3 and P1 afterwards, the absorbent article 2
will remain available to be released from the sheet 16 (see FIG.
1). At this point, the absorbent article 2 remains fixed to the
sheet 16 by the adhesive regions 11 and 12, which are fixed to the
protection sheets 17 and 15. Optionally, in order for the absorbent
article 2 to be released from said sheet 16, a tab 22 may be
provided, fixed to the impermeable back layer, or at any other
point of the upper end portion of the absorbent article 2. Said tab
22 may be made of any material whatever, for example, non-woven
fabric, plastics, paper, combinations thereof, etc., in the form of
a strip, strap, or any other that enables the wearer to pull the
absorbent article 2 out of the enveloping sheet 16. Using tab 22
the wearer can release the absorbent article 2 from the sheet 16
with a single movement and have minimum contact with the permeable
front layer 4, whereby the latter remains clean. The wearer can
also release the absorbent article 2 from the sheet 16 through the
panel P1, which is not fixed directly to said sheet 16.
[0052] When the absorbent article 2 is separated from the
enveloping sheet 16, protection sheets 15 and 17 remain fixed to
the sheet 16, exposing the adhesive regions 11 and 12 to be glued
to the panties. This is in contrast with conventional products, in
which flaps remain fixed to each other or to the body of the
absorbent article itself, which requires an additional release step
and causes the wearer to enter in contact with the front layer,
thus impairing the hygiene of the absorbent article.
[0053] After releasing the absorbent article from the sheet, the
wearer can keep said sheet for disposal of the absorbent article
after it has been used. Since the enveloping sheet is manufactured
from an impermeable material, the absorbent article may be enclosed
in it even after use, without the risk of leakage of fluid
contained in the absorbent body.
[0054] Said tab 22 can be used by the wearer to release the
absorbent article from the panties right after use of the absorbent
article, and also as an aid for handling the latter and throwing it
away, or else for helping enclose the absorbent article in the
enveloping sheet.
[0055] A preferred embodiment having been described, it should be
understood that the scope of the present invention embraces other
possible variations.
* * * * *